Youngest & Oldest Consumers Most Vulnerable to Cybercrime: LexisNexis

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The slew of new online users that emerged as a result of the pandemic’s stay-at-home orders created new opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers, especially those under 25 and over 75, according to LexisNexis Risk Solutions. The firm’s latest biannual Cybercrime Report, which covered July 2020 through December 2020, revealed people under 25 were the most susceptible to fraud attacks, while the over-75 group – the second-most susceptible – lost the most money to fraud.

The high level of vulnerability among the youngest consumers can be attributed to the fact that many of them are new to digital services, according to the report; the under-25 age group accounted for a 10% growth in new online customers over a four-month period. In addition, LexisNexis said, younger generations are known to be more relaxed about sharing information online, which can make them more vulnerable to data breaches and identity theft.